Guinea-Bissau’s ruling military council has set 6 December for the country’s presidential and legislative elections, signaling a step toward restoring civilian governance after last year’s power takeover.
Transitional President Horta N'Tam confirmed the date on Wednesday after signing a decree following meetings with the National Transitional Council, government officials, military leaders, and the electoral commission.
He told reporters that “the conditions for free and fair elections had been met.”
The move comes after weeks of pressure from Ecowas, the West African regional body, which has urged the junta to speed up the return to civilian rule. Since the November coup that ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the military’s proposed one-year transition period was rejected by the bloc, which suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies and threatened further sanctions.
How Ecowas will respond to the newly announced election date remains unclear.
The coup, carried out just before the official proclamation of election results, sparked widespread condemnation. Both Embaló and his main rival Fernando Dias had claimed victory, heightening political tension.
The military said it stepped in to stop a plan to destabilise the fragile nation, but some observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, suggested the takeover may have been orchestrated.
Attention now turns to potential candidates, as the transitional charter bars N'Tam and his prime minister from contesting the presidency. With trends across West Africa showing coup leaders often extending their rule, analysts are watching closely to see if Guinea-Bissau will follow a swift transition or prolong military control.
